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Iowa woman: Stomach pains led to surprise birth in shower

Updated:
March 15, 2015, 7:20 p.m.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines woman stepped into the shower this week to help ease the discomfort of stomach pains. She emerged holding a newborn.

Brittany Young, 24, told the Des Moines Register) that she knew she was pregnant and had recurring stomach pains on Wednesday. Turns out, Young may have misunderstood a hospital worker in December. Instead of being 12 weeks pregnant then as Young believed, she had 12 weeks left.

“I got in the shower, not even five minutes after that, I was like, my stomach is still hurting. Not even five seconds (later), I had to push,” Young said. Soon after, her daughter, Miracle, arrived, weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces.

“This baby’s eyes were open; she was just sitting there staring at me,” Young said. “She didn’t cry or anything. I was in shock. I was like, there’s a baby here.”

Dr. Michael Cardwell at Mercy Medical Center said women with a medical condition called precipitous labor means contractions can start a couple hours before delivery. Cardwell didn’t personally treat Young, who has had three other children, but said that women who are already mothers can go into labor quickly.

After Miracle arrived, Young asked her friend in the living room to call an ambulance. The police report says authorities found Young’s friend holding the child and Young was in the shower. Both mother and baby were taken to the hospital.

“I’ve been in shock for the last couple of days, because I didn’t expect a full-term baby,” Young told the newspaper, adding that she didn’t have clothing or diapers ready. She had gone to the hospital in January, found out she was pregnant and was told “12 weeks” by a technician. She says she likely misunderstood.

Young has tattoos with the names of her three kids and says Miracle will be added.